by John Osborn ·
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Devens residents are voting this week to fill seats on its two elected advisory committees in one of the most contested elections in the community’s 40-year history.
Six candidates are vying for three openings on the Devens Committee, each with a three-year term. As stipulated in its bylaws, the committee is the voice “by which the Devens community addresses concerns to MassDevelopment, Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, and other stakeholders regarding Devens.”
While no candidate submitted nomination papers for the two seats available on the Devens Educational Advisory Committee, each with a two-year term, at least four residents—and perhaps more—are known to be running as write-in candidates.
The six candidates for the Devens Committee are:
- Tolga Caglar of Grant Road
- Cynthia Carter (incumbent) of Cavite Street
- Aaron Farber-Chen of Chance Street
- Lisa Kendrick of Bradley Circle
- Lawrence LaForge of Cavite Street
- Austin Mackey of Auman Street
The Press was unable to confirm the names of every candidate running for the DEAC as a write-in. To avoid the risk of overlooking someone, the Press has chosen to list no one.
In a Nov. 21 story, the Press reported that according to MassDevelopment three candidates had filed nomination papers for the Devens Committee. That information was incorrect. The Press later learned that the agency had received nominations for three additional candidates whose papers had been filed on time but overlooked. However, all six names appear on the ballot that was distributed last week to every resident who returned a Devens voter registration form.
Monday, December 8, is election day at Devens and according to MassDevelopment all ballots are due by 4 p.m., returned by mail or dropped off in person between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at MassDevelopment, 33 Andrews Parkway, Room 207. Residents who choose the second option must hand their ballot in the return envelope provided to a MassDevelopment staff person or deposit it in the locked ballot box located just inside the doorway to MassDevelopment’s second floor offices.
MassDevelopment says it will announce the results of both elections to Devens residents by email Friday, December 12.